This is the second book in the Single Dads of Dragonfly Lake series. I didn’t read the first book and although characters and events from the previous book are mentioned I didn’t feel lost. This book focuses on Ben, who is a caretaker and gatherer. He collects animals and unfortunately people too. Ben is the widow father of two who works as a veterinarian and has a collection of horses, llamas, chickens, cats and dogs. Emerson went to school with Ben and he was her husband’s best friend. Although her husband was in the military and they had moved away. Emerson was living with her mother in law until she fell in love and decided to sell her house and move away. Nice Ben offers his home to her and her children until she can find a new place. I loved that in this story Ben was the one with the holiday spirit and he baked and cooked and planned for the winter holidays. Emerson seemed to keep the holidays very low key barely celebrating them. Ben is our cinnamon roll guy who had feelings for Emerson when they were young and have them now. Emerson seemed to be avoiding all sorts of things and seemed unable to really handle motherhood and because of her hangups her daughter was having some issues too. This is an absolutely wonderful small town romance where the man is happy and carefree and the woman is not a grumpy but a little bit of a Scrooge. Great story and great characters.